White Houses
by erinxe09
Summary: Haley James is new to North Carolina and to Tree Hill. She's beginning her freshman year at UNC and moves in with her cousin, Lucas. "Spinning empty bottles it's the five of us, with pretty eyed boys girls die to trust." Eventual Naley !
1. One Way Ticket

White Houses

Chapter One: One Way Ticket

I hauled the last bit of luggage up the stairs and to my new home. I entered the room; it was painted a calming beige color with black accents of my new bedroom furniture. I had nine suitcases that lay in front of me, I hated unpacking more than I hated packing. I wanted to stuff it all in a trash bag but Brooke told me not to, so I didn't. I could be a pushover sometimes.

It was late June in Tree Hill, I had to get used to wearing shorts now in the summer. I was from Boston; the summers were hot, but not ever scorching to where shorts were a necessary item of clothing to wear. North Carolina was different. The weather was nicer, the people seemed friendlier and the drama seemed to be kept to a minimum.

"What the hell Nathan!" maybe I spoke too soon. I looked behind me and saw a blonde girl chasing a brunette, very cute, boy down the hallway. I laughed at the banter and stepped into the hallway, watching the two people run down the stairs and out of view.

"Hales?" I hear behind me. I spin around to find my favorite cousin standing there with his backpack and workout clothes on.

"Lucas!" I smile and run into his arms, searching for a hug. It's nice to see a familiar face in a foreign place. He scoops me up in a hug and lifts me off the ground. I smile as he places me back down and we separate a bit.

"How was the drive?" He asks me. "I see you found your room okay."

"I did. The drive wasn't too bad. I took I-95 all the way down and it only took me about fifteen hours. I stopped in Philly overnight to stay with Aunt Rhonda. She says hi." We walked into my bedroom, where the nine suitcases lay on the ground, still untouched.

"Did you pack enough?" Lucas laughed at the multitude of luggage. I blushed and shrugged.

"A girl can never be too prepared." Lucas wished me good luck and left me to unpack. He said there was food in the fridge that was all up for grabs and that his other roommate should be around somewhere. I started unpacking little by little until I was down to three suitcases and a closet full of clothes.

I laid back on my freshly made bed and picked up my cell phone. I held down the speed-dial #2 and my phone quickly connected. After the third ring there was an answer on the other line.

"Hi mom!" I smiled as I heard her voice.

"Hi honey. How was the drive?"

"It was fine, not too much traffic and I even managed to avoid getting lost!" I laughed. My mom and I made small talk about school preparations, how I liked my room and how my sisters were doing. I decided to end the conversation as I began getting tired from the drive and unpacking. We hung up after our "I love you's" and said goodnight.

My next phone call was to my best friend from back home, Brooke. Brooke and I met in third grade, I was getting picked on by Kristen Jennings and Brooke came and stood up for me. In high school, I tutored Brooke in every subject imaginable and we were the two best friends that anyone could have. My phone dialed her number, but after few rings there was no answer. She was probably out with Jack, her boyfriend.

"Hey Brookie B, I was just calling to say that I am alive and in North Carolina. It's weird not being in the city, but nice to have a change of scenery. I miss you terribly and it's weird not having you across the hall. I love you; call me if you get a chance later." I sighed as I hung up.

I missed my best friend, we grew up together. In sixth grade, Brooke's parents bought an apartment across the hall from my apartment, so we saw each other every day. We shared clothes and secrets, we walked to school together, had every class together and we didn't do anything alone. We were always right by each other's sides.

I am one of six kids. Both my parents are professors at different universities in Boston; my dad teaches at MIT and my mom is a music professor at Berklee. My oldest brother, Trevor, is married and lives in Connecticut with his two kids. Vivian is a fashion coordinator in New York City. Jonathon is an Army Lieutenant stationed in Fort Hood with his wife and daughter. Quinn is a photographer; I think she's in Burma right now. Then there's Taylor, who knows what the hell she's doing; she's the black sheep of the family.

My senior year by parents divorced, I was the youngest of my siblings and was the only one still living at home. I pretty much lived with Brooke for that year, and then I decided I needed to get out of Boston, away from everything I knew and loved. I needed to discover something new and create a story for myself. I could get into any school I wanted to with my grades, so I chose University of North Carolina at Wilmington. I wanted to be a Tar Heel.

My cousin, Lucas, was already a junior and he offered me a room in his house that he shared with his best friend and I took it. I packed up my stuff, said goodbye to my mom, Dad, and Brooke and left. I'm an incoming freshman; although I am a sophomore with my completed AP credits from high school. I'm majoring in education with a focus in English and I want to teach tenth grade.

I am an extremely driven and focused girl. I've been told I was born in the wrong century and that I have a good head on my shoulders. I've never been in a serious relationship, unless you call the unrealistic wedding to Andrew Chambers in the first grade serious.

I laid back on the pillows and shut my eyes, trying to convince myself to unpack the last of the suitcases. I heard the voices from earlier again; the ones belonging to the blonde and the attractive brunette boy. I got up and walked downstairs towards them. I peaked my head around the corner into the kitchen and smiled.

"Hello." I smiled, coming around from the corner. I waved a friendly wave at the two who were sitting at the kitchen counter, eating spaghetti.

"Are you Haley?" The boy asked. I nodded and stuck out my hand.

"Haley James, Luke's cousin." The boy returned the hand shake and smiled back.

"Nathan Scott, Luke's roommate." He motioned at the girl. "this is my girlfriend, Peyton Sawyer."

Shot to the heart, he would have a girlfriend; all the cute ones do. It's the creepy nerds and stoners that are single, their not my type.

I smiled and nodded at the blonde, Peyton, "nice to meet you." I greeted.

"There's some spaghetti on the stove if you want some. Luke should be back from practice soon." Nathan offered. I grinned at the gesture and grabbed a plate, helping myself to the pasta.

"Thanks." I stood on the opposite side of the counter, so as to face the two new strangers.

"So I know Luke's on the basketball team, and he mentioned his roommate was too. So why aren't you at practice?" I asked inquisitively, twisting the noodles onto my fork.

"I play mainly offense, Luke plays mainly defense. Once a week we have separate practices to focus on the tactics of the game more." Nathan explained as I ate.

"Gotcha." I nodded in understanding. "So do you both go to UNC?"

"I do, obviously. I'm the power forward and have been for the past three seasons." I smiled but noticed that Nathan seemed really boastful about his position on the team. It irked me in an awkward way. "I'm majoring in Sport's Medicine, so when I can't play anymore I can still be involved in the sport." That comment seemed more heartfelt and meaningful.

I looked over at Peyton, waiting for her response.

"I'm a sophomore. I'm majoring in Art Studies."

"Do you cheerlead or anything?" I asked. It seemed like an appropriate question, cheerleader dating the star basketball player.

"Hell no. I did in high school but it was only because my mom was a cheerleader. I don't have time for that in college. I do volunteer at the Wilmington Children's Center. I help out in their art department sometimes."

"That sounds really cool. I did something like that back home. I helped out with tutoring kids after school."

"What do you want to do? Like what are you studying?" Nathan asked, attempting to get back into the conversation.

"I want to teach high school English. I love reading and writing and I want to pass the passion on." I smiled, dipping a piece of bread into the marinara sauce and taking a bite.

"That's cool; I would not have the patience to teach." Peyton smiled as she finished up her spaghetti. "Where are you from? I hear an accent."

"Boston." I laughed. I guess I wasn't used to that question because most people I know back home have the same accent and I don't realize it. "Both my parents live there, but my siblings are all spread out." I commented; I was beginning to like this girl, Peyton. She seemed super chill and laid back but still focused. Nathan was definitely a looker, but was a lot more scatterbrained and a tad arrogant.

"How many siblings do you have?" Nathan asked me.

"Five, they are all older. There's ones in Connecticut, Texas, and New York City. My sister Quinn is traveling to Burma and then I don't really know where Taylor is… she's a wanderer."

"Wow." Peyton simply stated. "I'm an only child."

I couldn't imagine what that must be like; I loved my siblings, especially growing up. There was always someone in the house to spend time with or to annoy. I'm the youngest, isn't it my job to annoy my older siblings?

"What about you Nathan?" I asked, referring to his number of siblings.

"I have a younger sister, Chloe, she's about to start at UNC soon too." I nodded at the information.

"Cool." I finished up my spaghetti and thanked them for dinner; I told them I would see them later. I was almost to the stairs when the front door opened. It was Lucas; he looked super tired and sweaty from practice.

"You smell, dude." I laughed. He teased me by pretending he was about to hug me, but I dashed upstairs before he could. I smiled as he passed by my room on the way to his own room.

His parents, my Aunt Karen and Uncle Keith, owned the house and let him stay there, rent free, while he was in school as long as he kept his grades up. Therefore, Lucas got the master suite to live in. His dad and my mom are brother and sister.

My room was a good size with a huge closet, perfect for my wardrobe. I usually wasn't the queen of fashion, but because Vivian was a fashion consultant and Brooke was Queen Bee in high school my wardrobe definitely benefited from those connections. I closed the door and undressed, figuring I should shower because the next morning was my day to explore and get acquainted with Tree Hill and Wilmington. The two towns were only twenty minutes away from each other and the campus was only fifteen, so the commute wasn't horrible.

I walked into the bathroom, which I figured was my own and turned on the shower. I shampooed, shaved and conditioned before getting out. I grabbed a towel from the rack and dried off and changed into pj's. There was another door in the bathroom, which I figured was just another linen closet, so I didn't bother with it. I hung my towel up, brush my hair and teeth and climbed into bed. I glanced at my phone for a missed call from Brooke.

No missed calls. However, I did have a new text message. I opened it and read it.

_Out with Jack :\ Glad you got there okay, miss you tons and I will call you tomorrow. G'night ttrgrl. (: xxBB_

I laughed at the text, 'ttrgrl' was Brooke's way of texting Tutor Girl, which was my nickname from her in high school. 'BB' stood from Brookie B, my nickname for her. I plugged my phone in and smiled at the memories that I left and the memories that were awaiting for me in Tree Hill.


	2. When We're Together

**Hey all! Sorry for the delay in updating. I was in WILMINGTON this past week and my roommate and I got to see all the OTH filming locations. It's sad that the Rivercourt wasn't there but it was so fun just to be in the places where this wonderfully amazing show was filmed and made. I didn't mean to mention locations in 'Tree Hill' as specific as I did, but I couldn't help it because I was just there. Here is the latest update, a bit longer than the last one. Hopefully that makes up for the time you were waiting. Please review and tell me where I should take it. I have a few ideas but I would love to hear from you all **

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to One Tree Hill, the characters or ideas. I strictly own this plot and wherever it takes me (: **

**Here it is! **

White Houses

Chapter Two – I Just Feel It When We're Together

I woke up the next morning with the sudden urge to pee. I got out of bed slowly and made my way to my bathroom. I opened the door and heard the shower going. I was confused and looked around the bathroom; there was men's shaving gel and a razor by the sink and boxers lying on the floor.

"Hello?" I questioned to the ambivilous person in the shower.

"Hello?" A man's voice answered back.

"Nathan?" I asked. Then Nathan peered his head from behind the shower curtain and he smirked.

"Good morning!" he smiled.

"I thought I had this bathroom to myself! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to barge in…" I trailed off.

"It's cool. I'll be done in a second." I walked out of the bathroom and down the hall to the hall half-bathroom to pee.

I smirked as I saw him exit the bathroom, through what I thought was the linen closet to his own room. "Thanks!" I called through the door as I began to get ready for the day. I straightened my hair, put on a little makeup and brushed my teeth. I picked out a pair of black skinny jeans and a patterned teal tank top with black flats to wear for my day of exploration.

Downstairs, Lucas, Peyton and Nathan were chatting about their schedules for the upcoming fall semester when I walked in. I looked at Peyton with an odd look, does she live here? I asked myself. They all greeted me 'good morning' and I replied back.

"Luke, how do I get to your mom's café?" I asked. I wanted to go say hello to my favorite aunt and a cup of coffee would be nice too.

"Downtown and it's on the corner of Grace and Front Street." He replied finishing up his cereal and grabbing a basketball that lay nearby. "I'm driving right past it on the way to the Rivercourt if you want me to drop you off…" he offered politely.

I declined. I wanted to take my own car and get a feel for the town and different places. I grabbed my car keys and my purse, shoving my phone into the bag, and I made my way out the door.

I found the café more easily than I thought I would. I parked and paid a meter for an hour, I could always add money later. I walked in through the single oak door and into 'Karen's Café'. I looked around and the place hadn't changed much since my last visit. There were table scattered around the café, a makeshift stage in the corner for musical performances and Open Mic Nights, and off-colored couches and chairs placed around for reading or studying.

"Haley James?" I heard my name and smiled at the woman in front of me. She stood about five foot six inches with short black hair that was cut into a bob. I walked behind the counter and gave her a hug.

"Hey Aunt Karen. The place looks great!" I complimented. Karen smiled in response and nodded.

"Thanks Haley Bob, it hasn't changed too much since the last time you were here." She let me out of her embrace, one that felt of home. I took a seat at the bar and she poured me a cup of coffee.

"How were the drive and the move in?" She asked as I took a sip of the coffee. I let the warm fluid run down my throat, I instantly felt a bit more awake just from the scent of the roasted beans.

"Not bad. I met Lucas' roommates." I smiled.

"Plural? He only has one…" Karen trailed off with a smirk on her face.

"Peyton and Nathan." I stated.

"Oh Peyton, that is Nathan's off and on girlfriend." She informed me. I felt a smiled dance across my face knowing that the relationship wasn't always on such playful and good terms. Maybe I had a chance with Nathan, when he and Peyton were off.

"Oh.. she was just there a lot last night and then again this morning."

Karen nodded and held up a finger as if to say 'hold on' while she attended to another guest that sat at one of the other tables. I turned around, holding the mug of coffee in my hands. I missed home already. North Carolina was nice and peaceful but I missed the hustle and bustle of Boston at 9:30 in the morning. Hopefully the homesick would begin to dissolve once classes started.

Karen returned back to me at the bar and asked if I wanted more coffee. I politely declined and told her I was going to go explore. She told me to try out a restaurant called 'Paddy's' for lunch if I wanted a good sandwich. I smiled and left a five on the counter.

"It's on the house."

"Thanks Aunt Karen." I smiled as I walked out the door. I pulled out my phone to check my texts and I saw a missed call from Brooke. I smiled and redialed the number and waited for an answer.

"Hello Tutorgirl." The perky voice on the other end answered.

"Hi Brookie!"

"How's Tree Hill treating you?" She asked.

"It's good. I am exploring what the town has to offer today. It's small so it's not much. How's Boston? I miss it already."

"Nothing's changed. Except your mom seems lonely." I felt bad when I heard her say that. I did feel bad leaving my mom behind. After her and my dad split up it was always me and her. Sunday nights were our hangout nights and we would always spend time together. Other than Brooke she was my other best friend.

"She seemed so when I talked to her last night." I told Brooke. "I feel bad but I needed to get out and do this for me, ya know?"

"Yeah… I hung out with her the night you left. I got ice cream and we sat on the couch and talked about you and then watched really embarrassing videos from when you were younger." Brooke laughed. One of the many things I admire about Brooke is her heart. She will always go out of her way for someone she loves. When my parents were splitting she was always there with a hug and a pint of Ben and Jerry's waiting when the day had not been good to me. She offered to help in anyway she could. When my dad moved out, I hated leaving my mom by herself. It was hard enough for me leaving her to go to school. She had raised six kids and there was always someone around the house. Now that almost all her kids were gone and living their own individual lives and my dad left, there was just me.

Brooke's parents were never around so Brooke would come across the hall and hang out with my mom and I. The three of us were close. I knew deep down that leaving my mom wasn't as bad as my brain made it out to be, because Brooke was right there and loved my mom as her own mom. My mom always said that she had seven kids, Brooke included.

I walked down the street, I think I was on Front Street, listening to Brooke tell me about her date with her latest boy named Jack. Brooke was always the boy chaser. The only time she was without a boyfriend was never. She wasn't a slut; at least I didn't think so. She just got bored very easily and needed someone new to hold her short attention span. I had to give the girl some credit though, she had been dating Jack for about six months and she still loved spending time with him.

"We went to the outdoor theatre right outside the city and saw some local bands play. You would have loved it. It was perfect weather and we cuddled and he was so sweet. He bought me flowers for our six month anniversary." She went on about Jack.

"That sounds so fun. I'm so happy for you, Bee." I smiled as I window shopped through the antique stores of the Cotton Exchange.

"How are your cousin and the other roommate?" She asked when she was done raving about her wonderful boyfriend.

"Lucas is fine; I didn't see him much yesterday because he was at basketball practice. I saw my aunt, who is his mom, this morning. The other roommate's name is Nathan Scott. He's so cute, buuttt he has a girlfriend."

"That sucks." Brooke chimed in.

"Yeah but my aunt tells me that they are off and on, so there's hope." I laughed. I didn't want to get my hopes up for something that probably wasn't going to happen but you never know. "The girlfriend, her name is Peyton, always seems to be there. Like a live-in girlfriend, which is weird but whatever. It might be nice to have some extra estrogen around every now and then."

"I suppose. Is she nice at least?"

"Oh yeah! She genuinely seemed interested in my life in Boston and what I was in Tree Hill for."

"That's good. Listen Hales, I have to go. My classes start next week and I'm already behind on the sketches that I had to finish over the summer break."

"It's all good. Go make me beautiful clothes Brooke Davis." I laughed.

"Sure thing Tutor Girl. Love you so much!"

"Love you too Brookie B." I hung up the phone and sighed. I missed her. I walked in to one of the antique shops just for fun. There was an older gentleman sitting in the corner behind the desk reading a book. I smiled his way and he greeted me with a smile as well.

"Hello there! Can I help you with something?" His thick southern drawl was apparent in his speech.

"I'm just looking. I'll let you know if I need help though." I smiled.

"Well my names Whitey if you need anything." I nodded and browsed through the antiques. I spotted an older fabric mannequin that was used for making and sewing clothes that I knew Brooke would love. I kept the mannequin in mind as I searched through the older books that the shop had displayed on a wooden bookshelf. I knew Lucas was an English Literature major. I grabbed a copy of 'Julius Caesar' that I knew he would love. I made my way back to the man, Whitey, with the book.

"Is this it?" He asked with a smile.

"I also wanted to get the mannequin…" I laughed. "my best friend is going to be a famous fashion designer one day, I know she will love it."

"Gotcha." He winked as he rang me up. I paid for the book and told him I would be by later to load the mannequin into my car. He handed me my receipt and I saw 'Camilla's Antiques' written at the top.

"Why Camilla?" I curiously asked him.

"It was my wife's name. We opened this shop together and it was her last wish to keep it open." He smiled. He handed me a frame with an older photo of a young woman in it. She looked happy and in love.

"Is this her?" I asked, smiling and running my fingers over the glass. He nodded.

"She's been gone for 17 years."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"Sweetheart, no day with her was a bad memory. I miss her everyday and loved her more than anyone I had ever loved before and will ever love in my life." He told me. I wiped a stray tear from me hazel eyes and grinned.

"She was lucky. She was lucky to have love like that."

"I was the lucky one." Whitey grinned as he placed the frame back on the desk. I said goodbye and I would be back later and I made my way out of the store. I thought about what the old man had said. I wanted a love like that one day; someone who was true about their love and their feelings about me. I think it's a once in a lifetime experience to fall in love with someone forever. They hold your heart forever and you do the same with theirs. I wanted to find someone who would love me for me, sacrifice for me, and someone that I could sacrifice for. I wanted someone to trust with all my secrets and my hopes and someone that shared those same wants and hopes.

I walked down the cobblestone street toward the river. It was still early and not many people were out and walking around. There was calmness about this time of day. The sun was up and bright, the temperature was getting warmer, and the water flowing down the river made the atmosphere so serene.

I sat down at a bench near the water and opened the book I bought for Lucas. I flipped towards the middle of the book and a quote was highlighted from the previous owner.

"There is a tide in the affairs of men.  
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;  
Omitted, all the voyage of their life  
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.  
On such a full sea are we now afloat,  
And we must take the current when it serves,  
Or lose our ventures."

I processed the quote. There are opportunities given to us throughout our lives, if we don't seek out and take the risks that the opportunities present, we will miss out and not live life to its fullest potential. The risks may lead to fortune, but they may also lead to heartbreak. Life is about learning from the fortune and the heartbreak and taking what you learn for what it is.

This new life that I was beginning in Tree Hill is presenting many new opportunities to me. I had to step up and take the risks that were being presented to me. I wanted to get the most out of my time here and learn what I was supposed to and destined to learn. I wasn't going to hold back my feelings.

I smiled to myself as I stood and gathered my things. I wanted to go back to the house for a bit. I made my way to my car which was still parked outside of the café. I went inside quickly to say goodbye to Karen. I didn't see her, instead I saw a blonde woman behind the counter.

"Is Karen still here?" I asked.

"She's taking inventory right now. I'm Deb Scott, her business partner."

"Haley James, her niece." I smiled as I shook Deb's hand.

"Oh yes! My son Nathan is your roommate." She smiled a warm smile. I blushed and nodded, saying he was very welcoming.

Karen appeared from the back room and waved.

"Back so soon?" She asked.

"I'm going to head back to the house, get some things together before classes start." I informed her.

"Well we are having dinner at our house tonight; Lucas will be there, just drive over with him." Karen grinned. "You haven't even seen Keith yet."

I nodded and smiled at the invitation. "I'll see you for dinner then."

I got back to the house and found it particularly quiet. I walked up to my room and placed my purse and the Shakespeare book down on the bed. I walked back down to my car to unload the mannequin for Brooke. She was coming to visit for a long weekend soon and I could give it to her then. For now it was going to creepily sit in the corner of my room. I set it down and heard a voice in Nathan's room.

I knocked on his door through our connecting bathroom. Peyton smiled as she opened the door and welcomed me into her boyfriend's room.

"Where is Nathan?" I asked.

"Practice." She answered simply. "Him and Luke are both there. They have their joint practices during the week, Monday through Friday. I feel like it's all the two of them do with their lives."

I laughed. "Hey, when you have a passion, you go for it, right?" She nodded in agreement.

"I suppose." I suggested we talk in my room and she nodded. We walked through the jack and jill bathroom and into my room.

"It smells better in here." She scoffed.

"I would hope so." I smiled.

"So Haley James, tell me more about you. I know you have eighteen hundred and sixty-two siblings, but that's it." I laughed at her overexaggeration.

"Well, I'm studying education with a focus on literature. I love to try and understand what authors are feeling when they write. I love music; my mom is a music professor so I inherited the music gene from her."

"I'm studying music and business." Peyton chimed in.

"Awesome! I sing and play piano and guitar. I wanted to be a rock star when I was little, still do. I figured education was a good 'Plan B' in case music didn't work out." I laughed at the little girl dream.

"You'll have to play for me sometime. When I'm a big important music producer maybe I'll sign you to my label." Peyton joked.

"Do you want to own your own label?" I asked, interested in our new found common interest.

"Yeah, one day. For now I'm an assistant to the assistant of the president of a smaller label." She shrugged, obviously not thrilled with her position. "You gotta work your way up, right?"

"Yep." I nodded. "So what about you? You said you were an only child, right?"

"Yeah. My mom died when I was nine and my dad is always away on work, so I pretty much raised myself. Except for the Scott's."

"What?" I asked.

"I met Nathan when I was fourteen, his mom is so sweet and always insisted on me coming over for dinner and hanging out at their house. Nate and I got close, we were always best friends and I never saw him as boyfriend material. He was like my brother. I met Lucas around that same time and the three of us were best friends."

"So when did you and Nathan start dating?" I asked, curious as to the roots of the relationship.

"When we were seventeen," she informed me. "His mom and Lucas' mom had going bets as to who I would end up dating. Lucas and I are too similar. Nathan is just the opposite, not interested in anything related to school, only basketball, he's hilarious while I'm more serious. It's weird."

"But I mean that's cool that you guys were friends first, I'm sure you know almost everything about each other and Lucas too, right?"

"Yeah. I mean Lucas is more private about his thoughts but open about his feelings… if that makes sense."

I nodded, I may not have grown up with Lucas around all the time, but I knew how he interacted with others. We had always been close as cousins, understanding how each other thought. There was sometimes an unspoken language between us, we just knew each other really well.

"Is your dad around more now that you're in college?" I asked. I had a good relationship with my dad; not as good as my relationship with my mom though. I couldn't imagine my dad being away all the time. He would leave for a week or two to give lectures at conferences and things but he wouldn't be gone for longer than that.

Peyton shook her head, "he hasn't been in Tree Hill for longer than four or five days for the past two years. I mean, I'm almost out of school, I take care of myself and I don't have a whole lot of time to spend with him outside of school, so he works." I heard a slight notion of pain in her voice as she spoke. "He loves me, I know that. He tries to make up for his absences by buying me things, it's nice. It would also be nice to have a dad every now and then too, ya know?"

I nodded. I didn't fully understand her pain but I did know what it was like to want some semblance of a family in your life. My siblings were all out of the house by the time I was fourteen and my parents were separated when I was sixteen and divorced by eighteen. I wouldn't call it a broken family like Peyton's and Brooke's families but it was by no means a perfect family.

We chatted for a little while longer, about school and my life in Boston. Peyton left after being called into work for a meeting, leaving me alone in the house. I decided to take a nap; I was still tired from driving and moving. Peyton seemed nice; it was hard to be jealous or her and Nathan now that I knew more about her. I was still allowed to wonder 'what-if?' though right?


	3. Who Are You?

White Houses

Chapter Three- Who Are You?

I woke up in a groggy state from my nap, my room was a bit darker than it was before, telling me that the sun had gone down a little. I glanced over at the clock and realized it was five-thirty. Dinner with Karen, Keith, Lucas and Lily was at seven. I got out of bed and tried to find something to wear. I settled on a white long sleeved button up and jean shorts. I slipped on my Sperry's and walked over to Lucas' room to see if he was back from practice.

"Luke?" I asked, knocking on the door.

"Yeah! Come on in, Hales." I smiled at the nickname and let myself in. Lucas and Nathan were playing an NBA game on the Playstation. They paused and both looked over at me. I smiled to myself when I noticed Nathan taking a double look.

"Dinner at your mom's tonight, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, at seven. We can leave here around six-thirty... is that cool?" He retorted. I simply nodded and sat on his bed, watching the two boys return to their game. Nathan's number was #23 and Lucas' was #3. I had no idea what they were doing on the court; I wasn't a huge sports fan. I had been to one basketball game in my life. I was five and it was for my brother's birthday.

I watched the two of them for a little while more until it was time to leave. I got in Lucas' car and we made our way over to his mom's.

"How are you liking Tree Hill so far?"

"Pretty good. It's a cute little town. I went downtown today and then came home and talked to Peyton a bit-"

"She's awesome. She's always willing to talk about anything. She's friendly and sweet…" Lucas trailed off.

"Luke? Do you like Peyton?" I asked. Peyton was Lucas' best friends girl. It sounds like an old eighties song but it's true. Lucas coughed in response to my question. It may have seemed as though it came from left-field but I could tell that there was something Lucas wasn't telling me about his possible feelings for Peyton.

"As a friend! Yeah!" He laughed awkwardly and the tension in the car was building up.

"What about more than that?" I dug deeper, I knew there was something he wasn't telling me. "Come on, Luke. I'm your cousin, we tell each other everything.."

"I mean, there has always been something about her that I liked. But she's with Nate and I can't do that to my best friend."

I could only nod in agreement. I wouldn't be upset if Peyton and Nate split, more Nathan for me. At the same time though, I understood where Lucas was coming from. One of my few relationships that I had been in, ended because the guy's best friend realized she had feelings for him. That's the thing about guys and girls being friends, there will always be some sort of background feeling that looms, in my own opinion. Shortly, we arrived at the familiar house on the corner. A small yellow house with a wrap around porch stood on a small plot of residential land. The side door was painted black, the door that led to Lucas' old room. I walked up the beaten sidewalk and knocked on the forest green door. Quickly a young girl answered it and smiled up at me. She stood no taller than four and a half feet, still small for her age and shorter than me, which didn't take much. She had brown hair, which curled at the ends, and bright green eyes that you could fall into.

"Hey Lily!" I smiled as I hugged the girl. She was only eleven and she was already super outgoing and friendly to almost anyone.

"Haley!" She greeted as she returned the hug. It had been a while since I had seen my cousin, probably about three years. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well. How's school?" I asked. There was an interrupting cough behind me. Lucas held his fist over his mouth, silently telling us to continue the conversation somewhere other than the entry way. I let him by and entered the house behind him. It hadn't changed at all, still the same furniture and the same pictures on the wall. There was a family photo of our side of the family all on the beach with my grandparents. That was a good summer.

I followed the brother and sister into the kitchen, which was directly in front of us. I said 'hello' to Karen again, she was busy cooking up something delicious. Through the back door entered a scruffy, older man. I smiled at the familiar face.

"Hey Uncle Keith." I hugged him tightly. He was my favorite uncle, he was always so mellow and calm and easy to talk to.

"Hey Sweetie!" He laughed, placing a kiss on my forehead. He looked the same as always, greasy. He was a mechanic and even had his own garage further into town. He looked up at Karen and blew a kiss her way.

"Your car is fixed, there was a belt that was rusting over." He informed his wife.

"Thank you Dear, now go wash up. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes." She laughed as he took his work boots off by the door and trudged into the bathroom to clean up. I sat down at the table, which was already set for dinner and watched the interaction between the family. Lucas was setting out glasses of water while Lily moved the salad bowl from the counter to the table.

"Is there anything I can help with?" I asked feeling left out by just sitting there.

"You can grab the parmesan cheese and dressing out of the fridge." Karen offered. I did so and placed the garnishes on the table. A few minutes passed and it was time to eat. Karen had prepared lasagna, salad, and bread, knowing it was my favorite. My mom and dad didn't cook much, and if they did it was either microwavable or out of a paper bag. A home-cooked meal sounded wonderful.

Dinner was filled with chatter and conversation about school starting, how my parents and siblings were, and how things were on the basketball team. Karen interrupted the small talk and smiled at the four people seated in front of her.

"I have an announcement." She smiled as she grabbed Keith's hand in her own. She glanced over and smiled, just as he did. He nodded, giving her his sign to continue.

"Keith and I are pregnant." She smiled happily. Lily squealed as she shot up from her seat, hugging Karen and Keith tightly. Lucas grinned widely and shook Keith's hand while congratulating him. I could not wipe the smile off my own face. I could not be happier for the two of them. Karen and Keith had been through a lot of turmoil in the process of falling in love.

The two of them were high school lovers who got pregnant with Lucas right before graduation. They split in college, leaving Karen to raise Lucas by herself. Keith made appearances to help out every now and then but he was still just a kid. When Lucas was ten, Keith entered into the picture. He had grown up and wanted to make this family work. Keith and Karen finally got married and Lily came along shortly after.

"Congrats you two!" I laughed. After dinner we all hung out in the living room, looking at old baby pictures of Lily, Lucas and I. I yawned and Lucas decided it was time to get back.

"It's getting late and my little brother needs his rest." Lucas teased Karen.

"How do you know it's a boy?" Lily asked.

"I just have a feeling."

"Well, I hope it's a girl." She retorted.

"I just hope it's as healthy as my other two wonderful children." Karen interceded.

"Agreed. Good night guys." Keith smiled as he gave me a hug. "It was great seeing you Haley. Come by the shop some time, I'll look at your car." He offered. I nodded in acceptance of the invitation and hugged Karen good-bye.

We got to Lucas' car and got it. I felt something in my purse and smiled to myself. I pulled it out.

"Hey Luke. Before we drive.. here." I handed him the book I had picked up at the thrift shop earlier.

"Thank Haley, I have this one though."

"I figured, but there was a highlighted quote in it. 'There is a tithe in the affairs of men'…" I quoted. "You will never know your hearts true desire unless you take risks. So talk with Peyton, when the time is right, and tell her how you really feel." I smiled. He hugged me and we headed back home for the night.

The next morning I allowed my body to wake me up. I had no immediate plans for the day but to relax and get ready for classes. I did have to go to the campus bookstore to buy overpriced textbooks, but it was not an urgent task. I knocked on the bathroom door; there was no answer, which meant Nathan was still sleeping. I locked the door and undressed, starting the shower as well. I hopped in and began to wash my hair, the chorus to a song was stuck in my head.

"Let me feel, I don't care if I breakdown. Let me fall, even if I hit the ground. And if I cry a little, die a little, at least I know I've lived, just a little…" I trailed off, humming the rest of the melody. I had been told that I have a pretty decent singing voice, I wasn't sure if I was American Idol material, but I had to admit it was decent.

There was a sudden knock on the door as the handle moved.

"I'm in the shower!" I called to the person behind the door, probably Nathan waking up from my singing.

"I have to pee and Lucas' bathroom is locked!" he complained back. I sighed and got out of the shower just enough to turn the lock, allowing the brunette entrance. I jumped back in before he could see me.

"Thanks. Was that you singing?" he asked as he finished.

"uhmm, yeah?" I smiled.

"You're pretty good." He complimented.

"Thanks. Now hurry up, I'm pruning." I laughed.

Eventually I finished and dressed, I headed downstairs for some breakfast. Nathan was sitting at the kitchen bar eating some oatmeal and a protein shake. He was super healthy when it came to his diet. I grabbed a Poptart out of the pantry.

"You know there's 'Open Mic Night' at Karen's right?" He suggested.

I shook my head immediately. "I don't do public performances." I laughed. "Only to the shower head and steering wheel."

"I think you should try it. There's no harm, and it's a cash prize." I shook my head. This wasn't a fight that he was going to win anytime soon.

"Any plans for the day?" I asked, obviously wanting to change the subject.

"Just headed down to the Rivercourt to shoot some hoops. Wanna come?"

"I don't play basketball." I rejected.

"You just don't do anything do you?" he teased.

"I just am not very coordinated and sports is not my thing."

"I'll teach you." he offered.

"Thanks but I think I'll stick to the sidelines." I laughed.

"Come on! What else are you going to do today?" he asked. That was a good question, I had no other plans for the day, except the bookstore and it would be there tomorrow too.

"Alright. But no laughing at me."

"It's a deal!" he smiled. We finished our breakfast and headed out to the Rivercourt. It was going to be an interesting day to say the least.


End file.
